Pain
by M.H. Torringjan
Summary: My final dramatic installment with Michael Cross. An old enemy returns for one last hurrah, taking Michael prisoner. The other Scouts have to find him before they're too late. C&C is appreciated.


Pain  
A Sailor Moon original flavor fanfic  
By: M.H. Torringjan  
  
Gods, I've really got to stop doing this. I keep coming up with fanfic   
ideas before I finish my other projects. Oy vey, I'm never going to get all   
this other stuff done... ;-) Anyway, about this fic, it's going to be another   
of the dark ones. I'm trying to stop focusing so much on Michael, like I do so   
frequently in my other fics, but I don't know how much I'll be able to do that.   
I guess I'll give it a shot anyway! ;-) This one's rated about PG-13. It's   
set after the end of the SuperS season, in case you're keeping track.  
Now, for the disclaimer. I don't own Sailor Moon. Naoko Takeuchi does.   
I did, however, come up with the characters of Michael Cross, Jennifer Hino, and   
Gerolus. If you want to use them (as if), ask me. Now, unless there's   
anything else...  
  
Part one:  
Revenge  
  
Michael examined himself in the mirror in his room and adjusted his blue-  
striped tie one last time, making a few last-minute adjustments before his date   
with Lita. They were going to a charity dinner for AIDS research, perhaps the   
only sort of fancy shindig that Michael would ever consider attending. Mrs.   
Anderson had invited everyone in the group, so Serena, Amy, Raye, and Mina were   
going to be joining them. After all, there was *absolutely no way* that Serena   
or the others could leave them alone for any time!  
"Are you ready to go?" Mr. Cross asked from outside the closed door of   
Michael's room.  
"Yeah, I'll be right out," Michael replied. He dropped his wallet and   
house key into his pockets before walking out to meet his father.  
"Hey! Not too shabby!" Mr. Cross said, giving him a thumbs-up.  
"I should hope not," Michael said. "It's the only thing I've got." His   
long-sleeved blue button-down shirt and black dress pants were the only semi-  
formal clothes that he had saved from the move, and this was the first time   
since they had gotten there that he had needed them.  
"So, we're picking up your girlfriend, are we?" Mr. Cross said.  
"If you don't mind. It's not too far out of our way," Michael said. "Is   
mom coming along?"  
"She's feeling pretty sick, so she's going to stay home," Mr. Cross   
replied.  
"Probably a good idea," Michael said.  
"Well, we should be going now," Mr. Cross said, checking his watch. The   
two hurried downstairs to Mr. Cross's 1990 Honda station wagon. It wasn't   
exactly the most stylish car, but it was practical. On the way, Mr. Cross tried   
starting a conversation.  
"You know, I've never met all of your friends before," he began.  
"I'll warn you, they're a bit... off," Michael said, trying to phrase it   
gently. "Just try not to get between them if a fight breaks out."  
"Fight?"  
"They kind of mouth off from time to time," Michael clarified.  
"Oh, they talk smack, do they?" Mr. Cross asked.  
"Yeah, a bit."  
"I'll stay out of their way."  
"There's a smart lad," Michael said, grinning.  
When they pulled up in front of Lita's apartment building, she was waiting   
at the bottom of the stairs for them. She was wearing a long, formal black   
dress with a mid-length neck-line and make-up. Michael couldn't help but stare   
as she ran to the car.  
"Where were you guys? It's freezing out there," Lita said as she sat down   
in the back seat of the station wagon.  
"Sorry about that. We took a bit longer than intended getting ready," Mr.   
Cross said. "Nice to see you again, Lita."  
"You, too, Mr. Cross," Lita said.  
"I guess Jennifer's not coming tonight?" Michael commented, pulling   
himself out of the stupor that had enveloped him.  
"No, she's working tonight," Lita replied.  
"That's too bad," Michael said. "Mrs. Anderson's really been talking this   
thing up for a while now..  
"Well, it's a great thing for the medical community," Lita said.  
"I can imagine it would really give research a boost," Mr. Cross said.  
"That's what I gathered," Michael said. "Do you know if all of the others   
are going?"  
"Yeah, everyone else will be there. Serena even invited Darien. And   
since he was going, Rini insisted on going, as well," Lita said.  
"Oh, boy," Michael groaned. "Maybe we should take a table across the room   
from them."  
"Don't worry. Darien made them promise to behave," Lita said.  
"Even so, we both know how long those promises last," Michael replied.  
"Well, Amy made them promise, too, so that should handle it," Lita said.  
"Wow, hitting them on all cylinders!" Michael mused. Serena would never   
break a promise she made to Amy!  
They soon reached the hotel where the banquet was being held, and Mr.   
Cross started trying to find a parking place.  
"God, this place is crowded!" he said, noting the line leading into the   
building and the parking lot. "Why don't I let you guys out here?"  
"All right, we'll head on in and wait for you inside at a table," Michael   
said.  
"I'll be in as soon as I can," Mr. Cross said, pulling up to the curb.   
Michael and Lita quickly got out of the car and into line and began waiting. As   
they stood in the slowly moving line, Michael felt a familiar twinge pass   
through his mind, the sort of twinge that all of the Scouts felt when something   
bad was about to happen. He glanced around, looking for anything that might   
cause it. Nothing that he saw looked out of the ordinary. The traffic was   
still unbearable; nothing was blowing up. The woman in front of them was still   
wearing a fur coat and talking loudly and had not, in fact, turned into some   
unspeakably evil creature. Everything seemed to be fairly normal. Michael had   
been feeling the same thing for a few days before then, but anything bad had yet   
to happen. He had been able to ignore the feeling by telling himself that it   
was just paranoia. For some reason, this time, he wasn't able to convince   
himself.  
"Something wrong, Michael?" Lita asked, sensing his unease.  
"Do you feel that, too?" Michael asked.  
"Yeah. I was kind of hoping it was just me," Lita replied.  
"How long have you been feeling it?" Michael asked.  
"Just a few minutes. Why?"  
"Whatever it is, I've been feeling it longer," Michael said.  
"We'll check with the others to see if they feel it, too," Lita said as   
they walked up to the check-in table. After they checked in, they passed   
through the doorway and entered the Grand Ballroom. Long, red curtains hung   
from the walls, behind the long tables that held dozens of plates of steaming   
meats, healthy salads, and decorative desserts. Ice sculptures loomed above the   
patrons from tables around the giant room, standing guard over vats of punch.  
As the pair wandered, amazed, through the gathering crowd and the tables,   
they heard their names being called. Looking around, they saw Mina, Amy, Raye,   
Rini and Serena trying to get their attention. The girls were wearing similar   
outfits to Lita, and Michael was finding it difficult not to stare. Michael and   
Lita wove their ways through to the tables where the others were sitting. They   
pulled up an extra seat for Mr. Cross. Amy and Mrs. Anderson sat at the same   
table as the rest of them, with the rest of the group sitting at the table   
behind them. Michael and Lita grabbed Amy after greeting Mrs. Anderson and   
pulled her with them to the table where the others were sitting.  
"Guys, we think we've got some bad news," Lita said.  
"Can you sense it, too?" Raye asked quickly.  
"I have for a couple of days now," Michael said. The shocked regards of   
the others prompted him to continue, "I didn't think much of it at the time. I   
mean, what could it be? We've beaten Nephrenia, Apsuu, Pharaoh 90, and   
everything else."  
"I don't know," Amy said. "For now, we'll just have to keep an eye out."  
"What would attack a charity banquet, anyway? That's inhuman!" Mina   
exclaimed. "We should find him and take care of problem before he harms   
anyone!"  
"Mina, we don't even know what it is," Raye said. "How are we going to   
deal with him when we don't know that?"  
"Well, there's always the direct approach," Michael said. "You know, step   
up to the mike as we are and say, 'Hey, everybody! We're the Sailor Scouts, and   
we'd very much appreciate it if you didn't start tearing each other's heads   
off."  
"Somehow, I doubt that would work," Serena said. The group's collective   
gaze turned on Serena, causing her to blush slightly.  
"Tell me, Rena, you've heard of sarcasm before?" Michael asked.  
"Yes, I know sarcasm when I hear it!" Serena exclaimed back at him.  
"So do I. Were you trying some of your own?" Michael asked.  
"You didn't recognize it?"  
"I don't think any of us did," Raye said.  
"Shows how smart you are!" Serena exclaimed.  
"Shows how good you are at sarcasm," Michael replied. Serena opened and   
closed her mouth a few times, trying to devise a good comeback, before giving up   
and slumping down dejectedly in her seat. "Oh, stop pouting," Michael said.   
"Just go grab some food before people start the presentations." Serena stood   
up, grumbling softly to herself, and headed towards the buffet tables. She was   
closely followed by the others. Mr. Cross walked in just as everyone was taking   
their seats. On the stage, someone was testing the mikes to see if they would   
work right. Soon, the MC took his place at the mikes and began to speak.   
Michael suddenly didn't feel quite so underdressed. The American-looking person   
was dressed about as formally as Michael was.  
"Welcome to our little meal! We're here tonight to help raise money for   
medical research in the field of AIDS research. In America, there are large   
numbers of such fund raisers each year, all going towards the medical programs   
and research groups organized to fight the ever-growing problem of AIDS that   
faces the global population today.  
"Before we go any further, I'd just like to clarify something that has   
come up in discussions that I've had over the years. I do not think that the   
research programs are under-funded. These programs are technically, I'll admit,   
optional, and it is impossible to under-fund optional programs. We could   
survive as a species without these programs. However, they are still important.   
Man would not be able to advance without such programs. Without people willing   
to work beyond what was necessary, there would be no real novel ideas and no   
progress would be made, and progress produces life. What you are doing by   
helping tonight is supporting progress. We are supporting human life!"  
This proclamation was accompanied by applause across the room. The   
speaker paused to allow the applause to die down. Before he could continue, or   
the applause could die down, an explosion rocked the room, throwing the people   
on the stage flying into the crowd. Screams rang out across the room, both of   
pain and of fear. The Scouts dove for cover, bracing themselves for whatever   
else was going to happen. Mrs. Anderson and Mr. Cross were trying to drag the   
group with them as they made to retreat from the bedlam.  
"Cross!" exclaimed a familiar voice from behind the smoke and flames.   
"I'm calling you out one last time!"  
"Oh, shit!" Michael exclaimed. Gerolus again! And here he was, in the   
middle of a crowd of innocent people, completely unprepared! Well, I guess   
that's the idea, Michael said to himself. "Sorry, dad, gotta go!" he exclaimed   
to his father, wrenching himself free from his father's grip.  
"Michael, stay with me! We'll get out together!" Mr. Cross exclaimed at   
the retreating form of his son.  
"Don't do this, Michael!" Lita called, trying to get up to go after him.   
Before she got very far, though, Mr. Cross grabbed her arm and began dragging   
her towards the door. "Hey, you! Lemme go!"  
"Trust us, you'll be safer if we all leave together," Mrs. Anderson said.   
She had taken Amy in her own grip before moving herself.  
"And what about Michael? And the others? They've already left!" Lita   
exclaimed. The two confused parents looked around, searching for the remainder   
of the group. Indeed, they had already gone after Michael before anyone could   
stop them. "You two go on and let us worry about Michael and our friends.   
We'll all get out of here together and meet you outside."  
The two parents looked uncertainly at each other. "Please, Mom, let me   
go," Amy said levelly to her mother.  
Finally, Mrs. Anderson said, "All right, but don't try anything brave.   
Just get out as soon as you can."  
Amy and Lita were released and ran into the path of destruction left by   
Gerolus. "What would that man want with my son, anyway?" Mr. Cross asked   
rhetorically.  
  
Michael rushed through the maze of hallways, avoiding the panicking guests   
who were heading in the opposite direction from him. His only hope was that   
Gerolus wouldn't do too much harm to those innocents. The most important thing   
to him, though, was to not stop running. It didn't seem like that would matter   
much longer, as he heard Gerolus's faster footsteps falling steadily closer   
behind him.  
"Look, Cross, just stop now! We'll end it quickly and painfully and we   
can all go home happy!" Gerolus exclaimed.  
"Come on! We both know you won't stop with me! You've lost it! It's not   
about me anymore!" Michael yelled back.  
"That's not true! I want to take away your world! Everything that you   
hold dear will be gone, including yourself! It will be as though you never   
existed!" Gerolus explained. "How is that not about you?"  
"Can't you see that you can't beat me and the Sailor Scouts?" Michael   
exclaimed.  
"Then why are you running?!" Gerolus yelled. Michael had yet to look at   
the madman. He didn't need to. All he needed was to hear his footsteps to know   
that he was still there. Suddenly, Michael felt a mechanical hand grab his   
shoulder, spin him around, and slam him into the wall with enough force to leave   
a dent and knock his breath out. "Look at me, Cross," Gerolus said. "You did   
this to me. Your sword. Your attack. Your sense of justice. Your   
*existence!*" Gerolus's body was now a jigsaw puzzle of machinery, the only   
human piece remaining being his right hand. "I was so thoroughly damaged by our   
last battle that I had to replace the whole of my body, barring two things: my   
brain, which remotely controls this mechanism, and my hand, which you see   
decorating my right arm."  
"Why keep your hand?" Michael asked through gritted teeth, still   
struggling for breath.  
"So that I could have the satisfaction of killing you by my own hand,"   
Gerolus said coldly. "This is all I have left, the only thing keeping me   
alive."  
"Then why don't you just die?" Michael asked.  
A set of footsteps sounded, moving closer as the other Scouts drew nearer.  
"I suppose we'll have to finish this at a later time. For now, you're   
coming with me," Gerolus said, punching Michael across the face and knocking him   
out. As the Sailor Scouts, minus Jupiter and Mercury rounded the corner,   
Gerolus slung Michael over his shoulder. He waved cheerily at the Scouts as he   
disappeared into thin air, carrying Michael with him.  
"Oh, Lita's not going to like this," was all that Sailor Venus could say.  
"Well, neither do I," Moon replied. "Where did they go?"  
"How should we know?" Chibi-Moon said.  
"What I want to know is, how did he survive that last battle?" Mars asked.  
"Some people are stronger than others," Tuxedo Mask said. "And some   
people's wills are stronger than death." Just then, Sailors Jupiter and Mercury   
came careening around the corner, Jupiter bumping into Mars.  
"Quick, everybody, where's Gerolus?!" Jupiter exclaimed, looking around.   
An uncomfortable silence issued from the group. "Got away, then? Well, what   
about Michael?" The silence continued, with the others shifting uneasily this   
time. They glanced briefly at each other; no one wanted to be the one to tell   
her. "Guys?" she asked, nervousness tingeing the edges of her voice. "Oh, not   
again!" she exclaimed, sounding exasperated.  
"What?!" everyone said, almost at once.  
"You're not... worried?" Moon asked, confused.  
"Of course not! He's been through this sort of thing before, and he's   
gotten out of it fine on his own," Lita said, smiling. Moon suspected that she   
was a better actor than even she herself thought.  
"So, you don't want to go help him?" Chibi-Moon asked, as confused as   
Moon.  
"Of course I do, silly!" Jupiter exclaimed. "Now, we've just got to find   
where he took Michael. Any ideas?"  
"Well, we could do like that guy in Fugitive and check through medical   
records for anyone who bought a robotic body!" Moon dutifully suggested.  
"You can't buy that sort of equipment normally," Mercury replied, "So   
there would be no records of it that we could access. He must have enormous   
resources to be able to get everything that he had through the black market."  
"But where could someone like him get such resources?" Mars asked.  
  
"Revenge, Cross," Gerolus said to the chained Michael who hung on the wall   
across from his chair. "It's a deep desire. Have you ever wanted revenge?"  
"You remember Yvette, Gerolus?" Michael countered strongly.  
"Ah, yes, her," Gerolus said. "Then you have. Good, it was even towards   
me."  
"And it still is," Michael corrected.  
"Sadly, never to be realized," Gerolus said. "How far would you go for   
that?"  
"I'd do anything," Michael replied.  
"And I've only defeated you once, too!" Gerolus said.  
"You've defeated me more than that. Whenever you survive a battle, it's a   
loss for me. I will never have truly won until you are completely and utterly   
vanquished."  
"Shut up, you melodramatic prick. This isn't some stage. Try acting like   
the scared little boy you are!"  
"Melodramatic? Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black? Why blow up   
all those innocent people if you just wanted me?!"  
"I'll admit, I do have a bit of a flare for the extravagant. I can be so   
decadent sometimes!" Gerolus said in a self-chiding tone. "But I'm allowed it.   
Do you know how far I went to get my revenge on you? I've spent a total of four   
years from our first meeting to train myself in the ways of technology,   
accustoming myself to these infernal machines that have been stuck onto the   
remainder of my body. I have endured the pain of the surgeries to recover from   
the injuries dealt out. I have killed those who once loved me, my own parents,   
so that I might have the money and mobility to allow me the leisure of coming   
back for you. Thankfully, my parents never even thought to remove me from their   
wills, so I was given majority ownership of my father's company. I sold it off   
to the highest bidder and set myself for life. After all, with my busy schedule   
of taking your life, I wouldn't have time to maintain ownership of a major   
corporation. Of course, the sudden sale of stock from the majority stock-holder   
kind of unnerved the other stock-holders, so they sold, as well. The company   
has, by this time, undoubtedly gone under."  
"You sacrificed an entire company just to get to me?" Michael said. "I'm   
honored," he continued sarcastically.  
"That's not all. I returned to a place that should be familiar to you as   
my hide-out. We are in New York. A house that you know well, that of your-   
what was her name- Yvette."  
"What about her family?" Michael asked, suddenly feeling a cold shock run   
through his stomach.  
"They died of 'mysterious circumstances,'" Gerolus said. "Of course, I   
killed them. And after the investigation was finished, I purchased the house   
and made it my basis of operation. This room actually used to be their   
basement. Easily modified to serve my purposes, really. The rest of the house   
is empty. I have destroyed every trace of their existence in this house. All   
of this work, it will all be worth it after you and everything about you is   
dead," Gerolus emphasized.  
"Why are you after everything about me?"  
"Because it reminds me of you," Gerolus said. "It makes me think of the   
pain you have caused me, the suffering of the years spent alone, with nothing to   
support me but the thought of your death. I will destroy everything that makes   
me remember, leaving only the blissful emptiness of forgetting. I am beginning   
with you. By the time I'm finished with you, you'll enjoy seeing your own blood   
to know you're still alive."  
Michael was about to hurl an insult as Gerolus brought his right fist   
around and slapped Michael hard across the face.  
"I've changed my mind, and I'm going to kill you slowly and painfully.   
You may thank me if you wish."  
Michael did the only thing that he could think of. He spat at the ground   
near Gerolus's feet. Gerolus let out a static-stained laugh.  
"This is just a small taste of the next few days!" Gerolus said as he   
exited the darkened room.  
Michael blinked a few times to adjust his sight to the low light. He   
pulled his arms as hard as he could against the steel chains that held him in   
place, with no favorable results. The chains were too sturdily anchored in the   
stone wall to make them budge in the least. He couldn't reach anything that   
would help him to get out or even to call for help. It seemed like he was in   
for a long stay. How am I getting out of this one? he asked himself. He pulled   
against the cold steel chains until he felt a spark of pain run down his arm.   
He gritted his teeth, thinking, Oh, that was a *really* good idea.  
His eyes had mostly adjusted to the dark, and he could see a metal table   
with painful-looking instruments near him. The door was on the far side of the   
room from him, he assumed locked and bolted. The rest was seemingly solid   
stone. Walls, floor, and ceiling; everything. He could only take some   
consolation in knowing where they were, as though knowing that would make up for   
his inability to do anything about it.  
On the far wall, beside the door, Michael could make out the outline of   
his watch hanging from a small hook. He heard the watch beep to signal another   
hour passed. He wasn't sure how long he had been out, but it couldn't have been   
for long. His face still hurt from the blow that had brought him here, and the   
more recent slap from Gerolus. He'd repay those tenfold at least, once he   
figured how to get out of there. He could do it if he just kept thinking   
positively.  
  
Part 2:  
Memories  
  
Amy blinked to wet her tired eyes. She had been working past midnight   
running different scenarios through the computer to try and find where Gerolus   
could have taken Michael. She hadn't even had a chance to check out news   
archives yet, from the day before, let alone the month before. She had no idea   
what she'd be looking for, but almost anything would be helpful. Any starting   
point would get them closer to finding him.  
Everyone was assuming Michael dead, killed in the "terrorist attack" on   
the banquet. Ms. Haruna hadn't called his name in role-call and had called   
Serena and her aside to make sure they were all right. It had been difficult   
not to act too non-plussed, even though the two of them were still pretty   
worried.  
Michael's parents were understandably distraught. Lita had spent the   
night with them to make sure that they would be all right, and a bouquet of   
flowers had apparently arrived by the morning from a co-worker who had somehow   
heard the news. Family members wouldn't have heard about it yet. Just give it   
a few days, and a veritable flood of flowers would fill their apartment. She   
doubted that Michael's parents would give up so quickly, despite the pressures.   
Amy mentally applauded them.  
"Amy?" Mrs. Anderson called from outside her room.  
"Yes, mom?" she called back.  
"Why don't you go to sleep? You've still got school in the morning," Mrs.   
Anderson said.  
"I know. I just have a bit more studying to do before sleep." Yeah, she   
only had a few more things that she could think to run through her computer.   
Maybe after some sleep, she'd be able to think clearer and could come up with   
some new ideas. There were no abnormalities anywhere on the planet to indicate   
a large-scale operation of any sort; no radical weather changes, no abnormal   
tectonic activity, no changes in the ocean currents, nothing of the sort. That   
meant that Gerolus was keeping it small-scale. No abnormal political   
activities, so he didn't have federal backing anywhere, from what Mercury could   
tell.  
On a long shot, she opened the news scanner program and punched in the   
name "Gerolus," going through the past few months. According to the computer,   
the search would take most of the next day. That would give her some time to   
think. She quickly dressed for sleep and slipped into bed. Closing her eyes,   
she fell asleep as her computer worked diligently through the night.  
  
"Amy, you look really blasted!" Serena exclaimed at lunch the next day.   
"Hard time studying last night?"  
"No, I was doing things to try and find Michael," Amy said.  
"Any luck?" Lita asked.  
"Not really," Amy said. "I'm running a search on Gerolus himself right   
now."  
"Maybe it'll turn something up," Lita said hopefully.  
"It might, but regardless, I need you guys to try and remember anything   
that Michael might have told you about Gerolus. Especially you, Lita. Did he   
mention anything about what Gerolus wanted with him or how he thinks?"  
"Well, he did talk about it after the first battle," Lita said.  
  
"This is all about me," Michael had said. "I'm the one that he wants to   
get. He tried depriving me of my friends, and that didn't work. He's trying to   
deprive me of my life now."  
"And what if that doesn't work?" Lita had asked, tears of fear shining in   
her eyes.  
"I don't know, and I won't have to find out," Michael had said. "He'll be   
dead by the end of tomorrow."  
"And what if he isn't?"  
"I don't know that, either. Frankly, I don't want to think about it. If   
you have to know, though, he may come after you and the others, because I will   
be dead."  
  
"But that doesn't help us," Lita said. "It was last time, and I'd think   
that a year with nothing but a hand can play some tricks on your mind."  
"That bit about what Gerolus would want next," Amy said. "What else could   
he want besides Michael dead?"  
"I don't know, a new pony?" Serena replied, slightly confused at the   
question.  
"This seems to be about more than Michael himself," Lita replied.   
"Otherwise, why would Gerolus come after us afterwards?"  
"Maybe it's both of them," Amy said.  
"I don't follow," Lita said. The blank stare on Serena's face made it   
clear that she didn't either.  
"Maybe it's about more than Michael and it's about him, too. Perhaps   
Gerolus is trying to get those who are related closely to Michael. He went   
after Michael's friends and Michael. Maybe he's trying to get both of those at   
the same time. With his mechanical body, he may be thinking that he has a   
better chance than he did then," Amy said. "Did Michael happen to mention   
anything else?" Lita shook her head. "I'd like you to ask Michael's parents   
about any sort of event in Michael's past that might have some bearing on it."  
"If I have to work at it, I'll tell you," Lita said. "His parents   
basically told me his whole first five years over the past two nights."  
"Good luck, Lita," Amy said.  
"What about me?" Serena asked, eager to help in the search.  
"There's not much that you can do," Amy said. "Just be patient, and   
hopefully, we'll find them quickly. Then, you, and all of us, will be able to   
do something."  
  
Michael jumped at the beep of his watch. That made thirty-eight hours   
since he had first woken up. He wished that he could sleep, but that never   
happened when he was uncomfortable. Besides, he needed to be able to do   
something to occupy his mind so that he wouldn't lose it. He just had to keep   
counting.  
Gerolus had yet to return and begin enacting his revenge, and for all   
Michael cared, that was perfectly fine. That just gave Michael more time to   
figure out how he might escape. He had ruled out any weakness in the chains   
after hurting both his arms in one try. His pockets felt empty, and even if   
they weren't, it would do him no good. He could barely reach his cheek, let   
alone his pants pockets. With his hands bound like they were, there was little   
he could do.  
Another beep later, the waiting ended as the door opened and the   
mechanical madman walked in. He carried a jar of reddish liquid with a specimen   
of something in it. As Gerolus came closer, Michael thought he could make out a   
mass of grey matter inside the container.  
"What, is that my brain on drugs?" Michael asked snidely.  
"Still have our sense of humor, do we?" Gerolus asked. "I believe I can   
fix that. This is actually my brain. Half of all that remains of me as a   
human. I wanted to be personally present for your first session of excruciating   
pain."  
"I'd give a few more hours before my friends come for me," Michael spat   
out.  
"There's no way they could find this place," Gerolus said. "Think about   
it. Did you ever tell them about Yvette? How about our first meeting?"   
Michael was silent. "Would they even think to look into Yvette's parents?!   
Would they look at the place you had vowed never to mention to them?!"  
"They will. I know that Amy, Lita, Raye, Mina, and even Serena will think   
of something."  
"You can just keep hoping."  
"And I'll remind you of that when I'm right."  
"Same here." Gerolus picked up one of the instruments and moved toward   
Michael. He pressed a button on the side and the pointed tip at the end began   
to glow. A soft whirring sound issued from the instrument, a cold, metallic   
sound that made Michael's heart sink into his stomach. "Now, you may want to   
brace yourself. This is going to hurt. A lot," Gerolus said.  
"Well, you can give it your best-" Michael was cut off as the tip was   
pressed against his arm. He felt an electric jolt surge down his arm and to the   
rest of his body, a painful wave of electricity shocking every part of his body.   
He felt all the muscles in him contracting instantaneously as the shock hit   
them. His body leapt from the wall, trying to escape the manacles to allow it   
to contract freely, to no avail. The pain from the tension quickly became   
unbearable, and Michael's scream of anguish reflected it.  
"That was quicker than I expected," Gerolus said. "I guess I make them   
better than I thought. And this was just the lowest setting!" Gerolus sat the   
instrument back down on the table and walked to the door. "I'll be back in a   
while. Please do try to make it more fun for me next time."  
"I'll be ready for you next time!" Michael exclaimed as the door closed.   
Michael froze with the words on his tongue. Gerolus had taken the watch. The   
only thing that he had to maintain his grip on reality; the only thing he had to   
occupy his mind! How had the bastard known to take it?!  
Michael's muscles were slowly regaining their composure from the shock   
treatment, allowing Michael to hang limply again. He was sure that his heart   
had skipped a couple of beats in the process. Well, at least his muscles   
wouldn't be allowed to completely atrophy during his incarceration. He'd need   
his strength to deliver the pummeling that had Gerolus's name on it.  
First, he'd have to keep his sanity. And he couldn't do that without his   
watch! He needed to know how long he had been there so that he could turn it   
around on Gerolus!  
"Hey in there!" Michael almost didn't register the voice, he was so rapt   
in his own thoughts. He really wasn't sure he had heard the voice. It didn't   
sound like Gerolus's voice, so it couldn't have been real. Then, he heard it   
again. "Can you hear me in there?"  
Michael decided to give it a shot and make sure he wasn't hearing things.   
"Yeah, I can hear you."  
"Great! Oh, I was hoping I would find someone to talk to! You are real,   
aren't you?" the person asked.  
"Of course, I am," Michael replied strongly.  
"Well, even if you really aren't, I need someone to talk to," the person   
said.  
"I just said I was," Michael said.  
"Yes, but that's exactly what a voice in my head would say."  
Michael paused. Okay, this guy has lost it, he thought to himself. "How   
long have you been here?"  
"I've lost track. I tried to pay attention, but he took my watch away.   
Last count, I was at two-hundred forty-three hours, twenty minutes, and-" he   
paused, "Thirty-seven seconds."  
"Well, he just took my watch away," Michael said.  
"Since then, I've just been sitting here, trying to keep busy. I thought   
I heard him bring you in the other day, but I was too busy drawing a mental   
image of the cell."  
"Drawing a mental image?"  
"Well, I don't exactly have pencil and paper I can use, do I?"  
"At least he's letting you sit," Michael said.  
"No, that was just a figure of speech. I'm hanging, same as you."  
"So, what are you in for?" Michael asked following a break in the   
conversation.  
"I used to help Gerry," the voice said. Michael paused a moment before   
recognizing Gerolus's given name, Gerry Lusent. "We were such good friends back   
when he was a normal kid."  
"Yeah, whatever happened to him?" Michael said skeptically.  
"You did! I was the one he came to for help," the voice said.  
"A psychologist, are you?" Michael again interrupted.  
"I'm a technician," the voice said. "He wanted my help to restore his   
body, so that he could 'set things right,' he said. I could understand the arm.   
I might have even gone for the leg, but it just seemed crazy when he needed the   
whole body replaced."  
"Yeah, why not just leave me alone, then?" Michael said.  
"That was what I thought," the voice said. "And when I tried talking to   
him about it, he accused me of plotting against him. So he slapped me in here   
'for his protection.'"  
"Sounds about right," Michael replied. "What's your name?"  
"Howard."  
"Well, looks like we'll be spending the next couple of days together,"   
Michael commented.  
  
Outside of the cell, Gerolus watched gleefully as Michael talked to the   
speaker in the wall that carried Gerolus's modified voice into the cell. His   
plan was working perfectly! At this rate, he'd have Cross thinking himself   
crazy by the end of the week. Then, after enjoying the fruits of his labor,   
Gerolus would dispose of him in due fashion. Cross would know the pain of   
losing every last defense before being beaten completely. Then, Gerolus would   
continue his plan and kill all the rest.  
And after that? something asked in the back of his head.  
Damned if I know, Gerolus told him. Once Cross is out of my life, I may   
retire. Buy a human-looking android body and rest in the Bahamas or something.   
I deserve it.  
But the task at hand was to leave Cross a sniveling piece of slime. First   
thing's first...  
  
Part 3:  
Clues  
  
Lita sat in the old recliner in Michael's living room that night, trying   
to think of what to say to the Crosses. She wanted to tell them to keep hoping,   
that Michael was probably still alive, but that might sound like she knew too   
much. She doubted that would do much for their dispositions, though. They   
seemed to have accepted the roles of the mourning parents pretty strongly. For   
the first time, she'd have to act the part of the mourning friend. She hadn't   
had a chance to ask the Crosses about what Amy had wanted her to. They had been   
very quiet for most of the night, so much so that she hadn't felt right   
disturbing them. She'd have to talk to them sooner or later, especially if she   
wanted any chance at all to find Michael. The police had been by earlier to ask   
them about the events of the night that Michael had been taken, to ask about   
Michael's enemies (none that his parents knew about, and none that she would   
tell them about).  
Mrs. Cross was making dinner at the moment. She had already insisted that   
Lita not help, which was probably all for the better. She could use the time to   
talk to Mr. Cross. When she knocked on the cracked door of Mr. And Mrs. Cross's   
room, he was sitting at his desk, hands on keyboard and staring at the computer   
screen.  
"Oh, hi, Lita," Mr. Cross greeted. "What's up?"  
"I was just wondering if you could tell me something about where you used   
to live," Lita said. "Michael never told us anything about living in New York.   
I was just wondering if anything bad had happened to Michael back then?"  
"Well, he always had at least two bruises or cuts visible on him," Mr.   
Cross began. "Apparently, he got into fights pretty often. We never heard   
about them from anyone besides Michael, though. We used to think it was pretty   
odd, that he would tell us openly about his fights without caring how worried   
we'd get about him. We never told him, though. He was too confident in   
himself, so it just kind of rubbed off whenever he was around.  
"There was only one major disaster that happened while we lived there.   
About six months before we moved here, some madman terrorist attacked our   
neighborhood, destroying property and killing people. He stopped his rampage at   
the house of Michael's first girlfriend, Yvette Lanard." His eyes began to mist   
over as he recalled the experience. "He was confronted by Sailor Europa, and he   
took Yvette hostage. Before Europa could do anything, he had killed Yvette.   
Europa ended up beating the madman and saving the city, for sure, but he was too   
late for Yvette."  
So, that was why Michael never talked about his past! Lita had heard   
about this first girlfriend from Michael only once before. It must have been   
too painful to talk about. No wonder Michael felt so strongly about Gerolus.   
She doubted that they'd be able to use that information, but she'd give it to   
Amy anyway.  
"I'm sorry, Mr. Cross, I didn't mean to open old wounds," Lita said.  
"It's all right, Lita," Mr. Cross said, wiping his reddening eyes. "It's   
better that you asked me instead of Mrs. Cross. She really hasn't been feeling   
well of late." He glanced at Lita questioningly. "Out of curiosity, why do you   
want to know?"  
"It's just that Michael never told any of us about where he used to live.   
I just wanted to know," Lita replied. She walked out, leaving Mr. Cross to work   
out his feelings. She had to give Amy a call to tell her about this hopefully   
helpful bit of information.  
  
The sound of Mina's feet hitting asphalt echoed across the open track.   
She hadn't gone running in a while, not since just after she had gotten her   
heart stolen. It felt good to warm up her body and feel the heat evaporate away   
in the crisp afternoon air. She was usually able to think about important   
things more clearly while running, but nothing would come to her that day   
besides Michael. She pounded her feet on the ground, annoyed; she couldn't do   
anything to help him, just when he was in the most danger!  
She was concentrating so hard that she didn't notice Raye walk up to the   
side of the track, watching her.  
"Thinking hard, Mina?" she said as Mina passed by in front of her.  
Mina turned and looked at her. "Oh, sorry, I didn't realize you were   
here," Mina replied. "I was trying to do some thinking."  
"About Michael?" Raye asked.  
"I want to think of something to help him, but I just keep pulling up   
blanks," Mina said. "I feel so helpless, almost useless."  
"I know the feeling," Raye said. "Amy and Lita have been doing everything   
for the past two days to try and find Michael, and they've left us doing   
nothing." She frowned at the idea. "I've been trying to get answers from the   
fire since last night, but all I can get is a view of a house. I don't even   
know whose house it is. I saw a picture of a family, but I don't know who they   
are! Who'd have thought that an all-seeing supernatural force could tell you so   
little."  
"I've been poring over my memories to try and find some clue of what   
Gerolus might have done with him," Mina said. "But if Lita couldn't, there's no   
way I can."  
"Well, you shouldn't stop trying," Raye said. "At least you're not doing   
the least of us. Serena can't do anything. She doesn't have any powers,   
connections or anything."  
"And Rini," Mina replied. "She's been trying to reach Trista all day, but   
she can't even get ahold of her."  
"We haven't seen hide or hair of any of those four for this whole year,   
since the Mugen School adventure," Raye said. "I guess they took Hotaru with   
them so that they could keep the world safe from her powers," Raye said.  
"I guess so. That would make sense," Mina said. "But that's not our   
concern right now. We need to be finding Michael first."  
"Right! So, why don't you come down to the Temple and do some remembering   
there? Fire reading can be tiring on the eyes after a while."  
"We might just have to read some mangas between bouts!" Mina replied,   
grinning.  
"I thought that went without saying!" Raye said. Mina gathered her things   
and the two started off towards the Cherry Hill Temple.  
  
Amy sat at her desk at home, staring as the computer screen. There was   
nothing else she could think of to do with it. She felt like she had to do   
something more, since she hadn't found a thing. Lita would hopefully call soon   
to tell her what she had found out.  
"Amy, dinner's ready," Mrs. Anderson called from outside the room.  
"All right, Mom!" she said as she closed the mini-computer and stuck it in   
her book-bag. Her mother was placing a yellow-fin tuna sandwich on her plate as   
Amy settled herself in her chair at the table. Amy wasn't quite sure why her   
mom had made her that; she knew that Amy didn't like yellow-fin tuna.  
"You've been working hard for the past few nights, Amy," Mrs. Anderson   
said. "Got a big test coming up?"  
"No, not for another few weeks," Amy replied.  
"Is something bothering you, then? Usually, no matter how hard you're   
working, you leave the door open," Mrs. Anderson said. "Is it about Michael?"  
Amy thought of the best way to respond without worrying her mother and   
still not be lying. "That has been on my mind a bit, yes," she said.  
"Are you going to be all right on your own?" Mrs. Anderson asked.  
"I think I'll be all right. I just need some time to figure out the   
situation," Amy replied.  
"That's all right, dear. If you need me for anything, I'll be right here   
to listen," Mrs. Anderson said, smiling. She was glad that her daughter could   
feel comfortable talking to her about her personal issues. "Well, would you   
like to talk about it now?"  
"Not right now," Amy replied. "Now, why don't we eat?"  
"Good idea," Mrs. Anderson said, picking up her fork. Before Amy could   
bite into her sandwich, a beeping sound in her room signaled that someone was   
calling her communicator. She winced slightly. This wasn't the best time for   
them to call her up. If there was one thing her mother insisted on, it was that   
they should stay at the dinner table until the end of the meal. "What's that   
sound?" Mrs. Anderson asked.  
"Oh, it's just a gadget in my room," Amy said. "That's a really annoying   
sound. Can I please take care of it quickly?"  
"Of course!" Mrs. Anderson replied. Amy walked to her room and turned on   
the communicator. Lita's face appeared in the small window.  
"Lita, do you have any good news?" Amy asked.  
"I don't know. Probably not, but I wanted to give you the name I got   
anyway. It might give us someplace to start," Lita replied. "Her name's Yvette   
Lanard, Michael's first girlfriend."  
"So, that's who 'Yvette' is! I remember him mentioning her after our   
first battle with Gerolus," Amy said.  
"Gerolus killed her on his first rampage at Michael's old home," Lita   
replied.  
"So, that's how he 'failed her.' He's holding himself responsible for her   
death," Amy said. "Look, I'll run the name through a search to see what I can   
come up with."  
"Okay, thanks," Lita replied. In the background, Mrs. Cross called Lita   
for dinner. "I'll check back in later."  
"It may be a while, Lita. I'm just sitting down for dinner, too," Amy   
said.  
"Will it take as long as the other search?" Lita asked.  
"Probably not. I'll limit it to news stories in New York and its   
surroundings, so this won't take anywhere near as long," Amy replied.  
"All right. Talk to you later!" Lita said, smiling. Amy suspected that   
she was putting more hope in this search than she said. She turned off the   
communicator and went back into the dining room to sit down at the table.   
"Sorry about that," she said to her mother.  
"Oh, it's all right," Mrs. Anderson said. "So, how was your day?"  
"Not"- before she could complete her thought, her communicator was beeping   
again from her room. She blushed and apologized as she went back to check who   
was calling this time. When she turned it on, Raye's face appeared on the   
screen.  
"Amy, I've got something big! The fire showed me where Michael's being   
held!" Raye exclaimed into the communicator It's a small house in the suburbs   
of New York!"  
"You found it with the fire before I did with the computer?" Amy asked.   
"Great! Whose house is it?"  
"That, I don't know," Raye said. "I saw images of a family, and a girl   
with Michael, but nothing to tell us who they were."  
"I may know who the girl is," Amy said. "I'm about to run a search on   
Michael's old girlfriend, Yvette Lanard. If that turns up anything of interest,   
we'll check it out."  
"Great! Let's go show that machine-head not to mess with us!" Raye   
exclaimed.  
"I'll get back to you once I have the results of the search," Amy said.   
"I'll talk to you later!" She turned off the communicator and opened her mini-  
computer. The search for Yvette Lanard would take a fairly short time, since   
she was limiting it so heavily. She pressed the "begin" key and went back to   
dinner. "Sorry that took so long," Amy said.  
"It's all right. Now, you just take a seat and have some dinner," Mrs.   
Anderson replied. The two of them are on in silence, undisturbed again by the   
communicator or anything else.  
After dinner, Amy helped clean up, then went to check the results of her   
search. A small box had appeared on the screen, reporting two hits, one on   
"Yvette Lanard," and one on "Lanard." She opened the article on Yvette and read   
over the details of the attack. Nine-hundred thousand dollars of property   
damage, thirty people injured, but only one killed. Gerolus had been looking   
specifically for her. He must have found out Michael's identity before then.   
According to witnesses, he had taken Yvette hostage first and held her until   
Europa arrived, at which point he killed the girl. Accounts of the actual   
battle were conflicting, but everyone agreed that Europa had won as Gerolus   
disappeared with a leg injury.  
She gaped as she read over the article, which further chronicled the   
events of Gerolus's rampage in some detail or another. She almost found it   
difficult to believe that one man could do this much damage, but then she   
remembered who it was that was doing the damage. Those numbers suddenly became   
a walk in the park. He had done twice as much trying to get Michael's attention   
when he came to Tokyo.  
At the end of the article, there was a note about Yvette's parents,   
accompanied by a quote. "The parents of the sole murder victim survived the   
attack and are visibly shaken. 'No words can express our sadness at this time   
of tragedy. We're just going to try living our lives on in this place, no   
matter what the past has been like.'"  
Amy finished reading the article and closed it, concluding that it would   
do nothing to help their search at the time. The other article that had been   
found was, oddly enough, dated two months ago. Amy doubted that there'd be a   
follow-up on the attack two years after it had happened. She opened the article   
and read the headline, "Family of Murder Victim Mysteriously Killed." Her eyes   
widened as she read the body of the article.  
  
"On Friday, Bob and Terri Lanard were found dead in their house at 623 Lime   
Street just outside of New York. Their bodies had been asphyxiated by an   
unknown attacker and left to find when they never showed up for work on Monday.   
The police are questioning potential suspects, but no one has been implicated as   
a true suspect officially. The police believe that there may be some connection   
to the death of the family's daughter two years ago by an unnamed attacker who   
went on a rampage through the tightly-packed suburb, but there is no concrete   
proof of that at this time, either, according to a spokesman for the NYPD..."  
  
Amy took her eyes off of the computer screen and closed it quickly. She   
didn't need to be told that there was a connection to know that they had to go   
there. She grabbed her communicator and frantically pressed the buttons for   
everyone's communicators. After a few rings, everyone had picked up and she   
exclaimed, "Guys, I've got a lead! Get ready to go! Meet at Lita's at 10:00!"   
That gave everyone an hour to get prepared, hopefully plenty of time, she   
thought to herself as she closed the communicator again and ran to grab a coat.  
As she bolted through the living room, she stopped for a moment to explain   
to her mother where she was going.  
"Whoah! What's the hurry?" Mrs. Anderson asked calmly. Amy thought that   
she could fake calm for a few minutes, but no longer than that.  
"There's an emergency at Lita's apartment, and she needs me there," Amy   
explained, trying to keep her voice level.  
"Is it anything serious?" Mrs. Anderson asked. "I can call a doctor if   
they need it."  
"I don't think it's anything that serious, but we can take care of it if   
we need that," Amy said.  
"All right then, hurry on!" Mrs. Anderson said. She hoped that nothing   
too bad was going on. But she doubted that the girls would jump into anything   
they couldn't take care of on their own. She went back to making a cup of tea   
for a warm drink while she sat down to start reading a book she had been wanting   
to get started on for a while now.  
  
Chapter 4:  
Assault  
  
Jennifer Hino was just sitting down to her late dinner after a late night   
at work. She had been filling in for part of Andrew's shift, since he was out   
sick for the day. A lazy sigh escaped her lips. It would feel nice to get out   
of that job and start going back to school like she had been planning to since   
taking the job. She was just too far out of the loop to go back to any sort of   
meaningful job at that moment.  
Settling back into her chair, she rolled her neck and rubbed her shoulders   
a bit to ease the aching of a hard day's work, followed by cooking her own meal.   
That was one thing that she missed about having Lita around; she didn't have to   
cook if she felt as tired as she did today. Of course, she could understand the   
point of her having to stay with Michael's parents since they had lost Michael.   
She could understand it, but she didn't have to revel in it.  
On the first day or two of the search, she had held the same hopes of the   
girls, that Michael was going to be okay, and they'd find him in one piece,   
still alive. However, as time began to drag on, she started to doubt it more   
and more. She wasn't sure why Gerolus would keep Michael alive for four days or   
more, really. The girls had kept their hopes up, though. Maybe they knew   
something about Michael and Gerolus that she didn't.  
Although, it would be nice if she could see Michael alive again. She   
missed his cheery attitude when he was around Lita and his sense of humor. That   
always seemed to cheer her up, even when she had had a really rough day at work.   
And Lita seemed to put a little more effort into whatever she was cooking   
whenever he was over, which benefited her as much as it did him. Jennifer   
hadn't seen much of Lita in the past couple if days, but what she had seen   
looked more lackluster than usual. To say that Lita was worried was obviously   
an understatement.  
Just as she was about to bite into her noodle salad, someone knocked on   
the door. Jennifer put down her fork and walked to open the door. She found   
Amy and Mina standing outside, nervous looks on their faces, as though they knew   
that someone was following them.  
"Hi, girls," Jennifer said. "What's up? You look kind of... disturbed."  
"We think we've found where Michael's being held," Mina exclaimed.  
"The others should be here soon so that we can go look for him," Amy said.  
"That's great!" Jennifer said, not sure how to respond. "I was just   
sitting down to some food, if you two would like something while you wait for   
the others."  
"No, thank you, I already ate," Amy said. Her sentiments were echoed by   
Mina. Jennifer shrugged and excused herself to finish what she had started   
before the two had arrived. About ten minutes later, another knock came on the   
door and Serena and Rini arrived, looking excited.  
"Are the others here yet?" Serena asked.  
"Not yet," Amy said.  
"I hope they get here soon," Rini said. "I want to go help Michael   
quickly!"  
"So do I," Mina said, "On both accounts."  
"Where are we headed, anyway?" Serena asked.  
"Michael had battled Gerolus before he came here," Amy explained.  
"Well, we know that," Serena replied impatiently.  
"Apparently, Gerolus kept tabs on Michael's friends and their families,   
because it seems that he killed the family of Michael's old girlfriend," Amy   
said. "Lita, Raye, and I think that we might find some clues at their home."  
"Great!" Jennifer said from the table, where she was finishing her meal.   
"You girls try to stay safe, all right? I wouldn't want to see any of you hurt,   
and I know that Michael wouldn't, either."  
"He won't have to," Mina said confidently.  
After a couple of minutes more of waiting, Serena and Mina began to become   
impatient. "What's taking those two so long?" Serena exclaimed.  
"I don't know, maybe they were in the middle of something," Amy suggested.  
"Something more important than this?" Serena wondered. As if on cue, the   
door opened and Lita walked in, followed closely by Raye and Darien.  
"Sorry we're late, but we stopped to tell Darien what was going on," Raye   
said. "We may need everyone we can get."  
"I wish Amara and Michelle were still here," Lita said off-hand. "They'd   
be a great help tonight."  
"I know how you feel," Darien said. "Now let's go up to the roof and   
teleport." The group rushed up to the spot that they sometimes used for   
teleportation and called out their transformation phrases.  
"Mercury Power Transformation!"  
"Mars Power Transformation!"  
"Jupiter Power Transformation!"  
"Venus Power Transformation!"  
"Moon Power Transformation!"  
A moment later, all six Sailor Scouts available at the moment stood in the   
place of the six school-girls. Darien casually pulled a rose from his pocket   
and twirled it between his fingers as he felt his costume magically wrap around   
his body. She six Scouts gathered around Darien and held hands, chanting the   
phrase to teleport them to New York and Michael. "Sailor Teleport..." In a   
flash of light, the group had disappeared into the area between space-time.  
  
They reappeared at the intersection of Lime and Oak streets. The sky   
around them was clear and sunny. A warm breeze blew across their skins, in   
stark contrast to the cool air where they had just come from. A few cars drove   
down the street, slowing momentarily to stare at the strange new-comers before   
accelerating to their original speeds and driving on their ways. The house that   
they were seeking was just down the street from where they stood.  
"Can we get a move on? I hate it when people stare at me like I'm crazy,"   
Sailor Moon suggested.  
"That's a good idea," Venus replied.  
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Mars said.  
"Don't worry, guys," Venus said. "I bet Gerolus doesn't even know we're   
coming."  
The group paused and looked at Venus for a moment before Mercury took out   
her computer and began scanning for traps of any sort.  
"I'll watch for surveillance cameras," Jupiter said.  
"No, no, you guys misheard me," Venus began.  
"Oh, we heard you perfectly clearly," Mars replied. "We'd just rather...   
be safe than sorry." After Mercury was satisfied that there was no danger   
between them and the house, they continued down the street past 629, a large,   
white house with bay windows on the second floor facing the metropolitan   
skyline. 627, a smaller off-white house with a larger yard than the house   
before it. 625, a light-green one-story house with a red car parked on the   
driveway. 623, the house that they were there for. It was another two story   
building, just as the others they had seen on their way there, but it somehow   
seemed to loom over them anyway. The building was painted brown, making it   
stand out against the other light-colored houses surrounding it. There was no   
car in the driveway, no lights on inside, and nothing else to indicate that   
there was anyone there. The Scouts could all sense the danger as they stood   
before the ominous building.  
"This is the house I saw in the fire," Mars said. "Gerolus is holding him   
here."  
"I was hoping you'd say that," Jupiter said. "Let's go." She waved the   
team forward as they ascended the stairs to the front door and turned the knob.   
She pushed the door open and walked inside. The rooms inside were completely   
empty, the walls clean and the floors without carpeting. It was as though no   
one had lived there, not even two months ago.  
"Any idea where they are?" Tuxedo Mask asked Mercury. She tapped on the   
keyboard of her computer for a moment before a voice answered from the room that   
had originally been the living room.  
"He's downstairs, but you've got to get past me first." Gerolus stepped   
into view, pounding his mechanical hand into his human hand. "I'll have to   
admit, I didn't expect you to come here, but I believe I can cope with the   
development. Shall we take this outside? I'm sure you'd hate to destroy the   
house and risk his life, wouldn't you?"  
"Sounds good to me," Jupiter said, drawing her sword. Mars followed suit   
and took Jupiter's side.  
"All right," Gerolus said. Almost immediately, his feet were moving   
faster than the Scouts could see. He collided with the group and sent them   
flying out the door. They landed in a pile on the ground in the middle of the   
road. The sound of screeching tires wailed through the air as a car came to an   
abrupt halt a few feet in front of them. "Darn! That close!" Gerolus   
exclaimed, signaling with his fingers for effect. The Scouts removed themselves   
from the pile and turned to face him.  
"Let's take him at once, Mars!" Jupiter exclaimed.  
"Right!" Mars replied. The pair brandished their swords and ran at   
Gerolus simultaneously. He chuckled as the pair swung at him, aiming for his   
arms. The swords stopped in midair as he grabbed Mars's sword and stopped   
Jupiter's attack dead with his shoulder.  
"It's too hard! I can't cut it!" Jupiter exclaimed, swinging again. He   
pulled Mars's sword from her hands and threw it back inside the house.  
"That's an understatement," Gerolus replied. He brought his mechanical   
hand around and grabbed Jupiter's sword mid-swing as he had Mars's, but this   
time brought his other hand down to grab the hilt and Jupiter's hands at the   
same time. He squeezed with his real hand and brought his mechanical hand back   
towards her, bending the sword in half and dulling its blade. This was followed   
by a spinning motion in which he brought his foot up to deliver a strong   
roundhouse kick to Mars. She once again became air-borne, droplets of crimson   
flying from her newly bloodied nose.  
"Mars!" Moon exclaimed, running to help her friend.  
"Mercury Blizzard, Freeze!" Mercury exclaimed, releasing her chill on the   
machine. He jumped out of the way and began to rush Mercury, only to be cut off   
by Venus's attack.  
"Venus Thousand Volts, Zap!" she exclaimed, firing a beam from her finger   
at Gerolus. He was hit on the side and blown to the ground a few feet away.  
"Good shot! I actually felt that one!" Gerolus exclaimed, rising again to   
face Venus. "Well, now I know who I'm going for first." He pointed his   
mechanical arm at her and a small panel opened up, revealing a small missile. A   
fire lit behind it as it took to the air, heading straight for Venus.  
She dodged to the left, letting the missile soar past her and into the   
car, which hadn't had a chance to drive away yet. Luckily, the driver had seen   
it coming and jumped out to get to safety.  
Moon stood up and turned to face their enemy. "Stop, Gerolus! I won't   
let you destroy anymore innocent people's lives! You've already ruined our   
friend's life, which is bad enough! Now, you will pay for your evil deeds! I'm   
the pretty-suited soldier, Sailor Moon, and in the name of the Moon, I will   
punish you!"  
Gerolus had humored her for the duration of her speech. "Yeah, that's   
cute. Now, you got anything to back it up?" he asked.  
"You bet I do!" she exclaimed in reply, reaching for the Cutie Moon Rod.   
She pointed it at him, drew her power into herself for the attack that she had   
usually needed Pegasus to do for her, and called out the attack. "Moon Gorgeous   
Meditation!" The energy flowed freely out of the staff, straight on target for   
Gerolus.  
He stood in place, his mechanical lips moving into a grin. Just before   
the attack hit, he folded his arms over his chest, as though becoming impatient.   
The positive wave of energy washed over him with no effect. "Hold it, was that   
the attack? I thought it was a projection of an acid trip or something. Well,   
anyway, time for you to die." He crossed the distance between himself and Moon   
in a split second, and before she could react, threw a hard punch from his   
mechanical fist into her gut. He kept running to grab her by the foot before   
she could hit the ground and twirled her once before raising her up over his   
shoulders and slamming her to the ground as hard as he could.  
"No! Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Mask exclaimed from where he stood with Chibi-  
Moon.  
"Sailor Moon!" Chibi-Moon echoed. The pair ran towards where she was,   
Gerolus standing triumphantly over her. The other four Scouts weren't far   
behind.  
"What are we going to do? We don't have time to power up the Sailor   
Planet Attack," Venus exclaimed.  
"I've got an idea," Mercury said. "Jupiter, can you make a break for the   
basement of the house? Try to get Michael out. We need everyone we can get."  
"All right," Jupiter said.  
"Mars, you and I will keep Gerolus busy while Jupiter gets Michael,"   
Mercury said.  
"All right," Mars said, wiping the trickle of blood from her nose. "Hey,   
chrome dome! Why don't you leave her alone and deal with us? We're a lot more   
fun than she is!"  
"I'm sure you are, but I'd rather not right now," Gerolus said. "She's   
not dead yet."  
"And she won't be, either!" Mercury exclaimed. "Mercury Icicle, Jab!" An   
icicle formed at the tips of her fingers and flew through the air towards   
Gerolus.  
"Oh, for Pete's sake, if it didn't work for Cross, it ain't working for   
you," Gerolus said. He threw his fist forward to block the spike of ice and   
send shards flying in every direction. The momentarily drawn attention gave   
Tuxedo Mask a chance to move into position and ready his cane to strike at   
something on Gerolus that he knew would be vulnerable. As Gerolus turned,   
Tuxedo Mask shoved his cane into the mechanical eye, producing a satisfying   
crunch and a small jet of sparks flying through the air. Gerolus swore as his   
hand swatted Tuxedo Mask away. He flew through the air, only to be stopped by   
the remains of the car. He slumped to the ground, reeling for consciousness.   
Chibi-Moon ran to look after him. She knew that she couldn't do anything in   
this battle if the other Scouts were doing barely anything. Brave, she was.   
Stupid, was another story.  
Jupiter rounded the corner inside the house, trying to locate any path   
downstairs to find Michael. She came across a table covered with maps and   
various tools. The maps were of Tokyo and of New York. There were tiny X's   
strewn about the field, probably indicating where a target was located. She   
shivered as she saw each of the Scouts' homes X'ed in. She wasn't sure how he   
had found out who they were, but they'd have to do something about it. Beside   
the maps, Jupiter found Michael's Crystal and his other belongings. She grabbed   
them and headed into the kitchen to try and find a way downstairs. She opened   
the first door the came to, an empty pantry. She left the door open and ran   
around the corner to the next door. This one held a set of stairs.  
She ran down them, almost tripping over her own feet and found a light   
switch. As she flicked the lights on, some small creatures scattered from where   
they had been resting, startled by the light. There was a door in the back   
wall, the only thing in the dank cellar besides the animals. Jupiter swung open   
the door nervously, cautious of what might be inside. The light spilled across   
the room, dust flying in every direction. There was a form hanging on the back   
wall, groaning painfully. It was Michael. There were grey rings under his eyes   
from fatigue that Jupiter could see from across the room. His hair was mussed   
beyond much recognition, and there were bruises over much of his arms, legs, and   
face.  
"Michael!" Jupiter exclaimed, running to him.  
"Lita?" he asked, blinking a couple of times to adjust his eyes to the   
sudden light. "You're real, right? I'm not just dreaming this?"  
"I'm as real as you want me to be," Lita replied. "Do you know where the   
key is to your chains?"  
"Where are the others?" Michael asked.  
"They're outside fighting Gerolus, and they need our help. Now, where's   
the key?!" Jupiter asked urgently.  
"I don't know," Michael said. "Use one of those things on the table."   
Jupiter looked at the table and saw the instruments of torture that Gerolus had   
set out before Michael. "Try that one on the right. It's got a saw on it."  
"All right," Jupiter replied. It was only a long, thin silver handle.   
She wasn't sure how it could be a saw until she picked it up. A circular blade   
whirred out from the end and began to spin away. "How did you know that would   
happen?"  
"He was about to use it on me when he heard the door open," Michael   
replied.  
"You mean, he used these on you?" Jupiter gasped.  
"Of course he did," Michael replied. "They weren't there for decoration."   
Jupiter frowned as anger rose from the pit of her stomach. Gerolus had caused   
Michael so much pain. She would not forgive him. She held the saw against the   
chains of Michael's legs first so that he wouldn't fall flat on his face. Then,   
she went up to his arms and cut through those chains. When the second one came   
loose, Michael slumped forward towards the ground. Jupiter quickly threw away   
the saw and caught him in mid-fall. She brought him gently to the ground, her   
arms wrapped around him, drinking in the happiness that she had from being   
reunited with him.  
"Are you all right?" Jupiter asked softly.  
"Not really," Michael muttered. "I'm going to be sore for a very long   
time after this."  
"I'm just so glad to have you back," Jupiter said.  
"Well, it's not like I died or anything," Michael said. Jupiter pulled   
back from him, a stern look on her face.  
"Don't you act like nothing happened! You worried us all!" she exclaimed.  
"Were you doubting your own powers?" Michael asked.  
"We were doubting that we would find you," Jupiter replied.  
"Never doubt anything. Otherwise, it will never happen," Michael said,   
mustering up as much of a smile as he could. Jupiter saw the smile cross his   
face and softened her own visage. She brought his body close to hers again and   
held him tightly, resting his head on her chest. "Not that I don't like this   
and wouldn't like to do it some more later, but shouldn't we be saving the   
others?"  
"Can you walk?" Jupiter asked.  
"If I transform, I'll have all the energy I need," Michael replied.   
Jupiter handed him his crystal, and he exclaimed, "Europa Power Transformation!"   
He gasped as the power rushed into him, his body re-energizing. The metal of   
his armor wrapped around his body and pulled him to his feet. The pain of his   
wounds faded to a slight buzz in the back of his mind. When he was through   
transforming, Sailor Europa stood beside Jupiter, flexing his muscles to get   
them warmed up. "Ready to go?" he asked Jupiter. He could feel the heat of his   
anger obediently waiting in the wings of his mind, holding for the right time to   
appear and flow forth to smite Gerolus once and for all.  
He grinned as Jupiter replied, "Let's get out there!"  
"Wait! First, we need to save my friend in the next cell over," Europa   
said.  
"What?" Jupiter asked.  
"My friend, next cell over. We've got to save him," Europa reiterated.  
"Europa, there is no next cell over," Jupiter replied.  
"What?" he said, confused. He walked outside of his cell and looked   
around the cellar, his rods and cones still adjusting to the light. The sight   
that greeted him was the same that Jupiter had seen, a completely empty room   
with two doors, one leading upstairs and another leading into his cell. A   
grimace crossed Europa's face and his eyebrows furrowed deeply. "What did that   
bastard do this time..." he growled.  
"Europa, you're worrying me," Jupiter said, wandering out of the cell.  
"No time to explain," Europa said, rushing up the stairs. When he reached   
the top of them and emerged into the kitchen, he stopped short. The house   
really was empty. They really were at the Lanards' house. He had really killed   
them. That wasn't just some demented taunt he had lobbed to get to Michael.   
Europa wasn't quite sure what he had expected, but he was shocked nonetheless.   
He wandered slowly through the living room, staring at the blank walls, where   
family portraits had once hung. The spaces where furniture had rested for as   
long as he had known Yvette. The house she had grown up in was empty, and not   
by any good twist of fate. Europa turned his eyes toward the open door.  
Outside, an explosion rocked the street around the Scouts. Mars had been   
knocked out and piled by Gerolus on top of Moon and Tuxedo Mask. Venus, Mercury   
and Chibi-Moon had gathered across the decimated street from the mechanical   
menace. Mercury was holding an injury on her right arm, while Venus had taken a   
knee and looked to have multiple burns on her calf. The two were standing in   
front of Chibi-Moon to protect her. Before they could do anything, he had   
rushed them again, swatted Mercury in the head with his mechanical hand and   
kicked Venus to the chin out of the way.  
He drew back his real hand to deliver a blow to Chibi-Moon. As it moved   
forward, a primal scream tore the air around them. "Stop it, NOW!!!" Europa   
called from where he stood behind Gerolus. Gerolus's fist froze in midair a few   
inches away from Chibi-Moon's face, held by an invisible force. Gerolus's voice   
echoed from the speaker in his head.  
"Cross?! What are you-?" he exclaimed in surprise. "I can't move!"  
"I look around, and I see five of my best friends in the world lying   
unconscious and semi-conscious, while you twist the knife a couple of times,"   
Europa replied. He felt the rage trickle out of him in the direction of   
Gerolus. "What would you do if we switched places? On second thought, don't   
answer that. You'd probably offer to help me. I'm better than you, though.   
I'm just going to break your toy, then come for you."  
"What's going on?!" Gerolus exclaimed. The metal that made up his body   
began to distort outward, as though something inside him was boiling outwards.  
"You've given me something, Gerolus. You gave me the strength to beat   
you. Too bad I won't be able to keep it when you're dead. My strength is the   
wish to kill you," Europa said.  
"Ha! I'm already dead!" Gerolus said. "I'm just a soulless mind stuck   
onto a bunch of circuits. But that's all I need to beat you." The bulge in the   
center of Gerolus's body continued to increase to twice his normal size.   
Jupiter and Chibi-Moon stared, speechless, as the two opposing forces stood in   
place. A moment of quiet had descended on the battlefield. Venus had sat up,   
rubbing her jaw, where she had received the kick. From where she sat, Europa   
looked like he was glowing with energy. She gasped as the metal in Gerolus's   
chest broke, a mass of earth erupting forth from every empty space in the   
machine. Sparks and smoke billowed from the wound as Gerolus screamed in anger.   
Chibi-Moon knew what was coming, and she ran as hard as she could from Gerolus.   
A moment later, the machine exploded in a shower of parts and fire. Chunks of   
rock flew through the air in all directions, a cost of dirt falling on the   
concrete as a remainder of the attack.  
When the smoke cleared, Europa's expression changed from the rage of a   
moment ago to relief. That was it. It was almost over for good. At his feet,   
Gerolus's hand wriggled at his feet. He just had one more thing to take care   
of. Looking around at the others, injured and beaten, he revised his thought.   
Two more things to take care of.  
He and Jupiter ran to check on Moon, Mars, and Tuxedo Mask, while Chibi-  
Moon checked on Mercury.  
"Sailor Moon!" Europa called, supporting her head firmly. At his voice,   
her eyes cracked open.  
"Michael," she said weakly. "We're here to save you."  
"Looks like it went the other way around," Europa commented.  
"Where's Gerolus?" she asked.  
"I took care of his robot body," Europa replied.  
Moon's eyes suddenly widened in surprise. "What?! How?!" she exclaimed.  
"Let's just say he pushed me a bit too far," Europa replied. "Are you   
going to be all right?"  
"I sure hope so," Moon said. "Our parents really wouldn't like us coming   
home halfway dead."  
"Good point," Europa replied, grinning.  
"How are the others doing?" she asked. "Tuxedo Mask?! What about Tuxedo   
Mask?"  
"He's all right," Jupiter replied as Darien demonstratively groaned.   
"So's Chibi-Moon. They're all looking about as bad as you right now."  
"We've still got to take care of Gerolus, though," Europa said.  
"What? I thought you finished him," Moon said.  
"I know this is going to sound strange, but he kept his brain in a jar   
somewhere, so if we don't finish him now, he may still come back," Europa said.   
Moon pushed herself to her feet and turned towards the house.  
"About as odd as anything else that's happened to us so far. Let's get in   
there," she said determinedly. Jupiter, Chibi-Moon, Venus, Mercury, Mars, and   
Tuxedo Mask wearily took to their feet as well and moved to join them. The   
group filed inside and walked up the stairs. It was clear that the remainder of   
the villain wasn't down there. It wasn't in the cellar, either, based on what   
Jupiter and Europa had seen. Europa sensed a negative force in the room that   
had been Yvette's. He pushed the door open to almost complete darkness. There   
was a set of television screens around the room, with a table in the center.   
The jar containing Gerolus's brain sat on the table, various electrodes running   
in and out of the jar, finally running into a processing unit that was hooked to   
the monitors.  
"What is this?" Mercury asked, looking around the room.  
Europa approached the table in the center of the room. On the blank   
screen to his left, text began to appear. "Well, you've finally done it. Why   
don't you just finish me?"  
"Where is Howard? What did you do with that poor guy? We were supposed   
to get out together!" Europa exclaimed at the jar.  
"Don't you get it?" appeared on the screen. "I was driving you mad! I   
took away the one thing you had left to you to make you obsess. Then, I gave   
you a friend that I could later tell you never existed. He would only be a   
voice in your head! Not a real person for you to save. That person was only   
me!"  
Europa stared for a moment at the jar. "You were toying with my mind?   
After all you've done to me already?! You've toyed with my feelings! You've   
beaten my body! You have threatened my friends! After all that, you have the   
nerve to TOY WITH MY MIND?!?!"  
"It's the least I could do for you." Europa drew back his fist to break   
the glass and end Gerolus's miserable existence.  
"No!" Moon called out, halting Europa in his action. "Europa, please,   
don't end it with violence. There's been enough of that for my liking."  
"But everything he's done to us! You'll let that go? Just like that?"   
Europa protested.  
"I don't want to harm anyone helpless like this. It's just not right!"   
Moon insisted.  
Europa pulled back his fist. He couldn't do anything, no matter how much   
he wanted to. Tears began to well up in his eyes as his frustration became   
evident. All of this time, waiting for his chance to end the suffering that he   
had been put through. He couldn't do anything that he had wanted to. Gerolus   
had won once more, another escape from the retribution that he deserved.   
Europa's head dropped as tears rolled down the bridge of his nose to fall to the   
ground. More text began to scroll across the screen.  
"Your tears bring me joy. Nothing else can now."  
"Shut up!" Europa exclaimed. On a different screen, a new message   
appeared, "shut-down sequence initiated." "No! You're not-!"  
"I will look up on you from the depths of Hell, and I will laugh," Gerolus   
said in text.  
"Stop that right now!" Europa exclaimed. The soft whir from the computer   
slowed down until quiet ran through the room. One last line appeared on the   
screen of Gerolus's words.  
"I have won."  
Everyone stood in stunned silence, surprised at the events that had just   
passed before their eyes. Europa fell to his knees and punched the floor   
angrily. "Damn it, don't you run away like that!" Tears continued to fall from   
the tip of his nose as he held back any sound from his mouth. He wouldn't give   
Gerolus the pleasure of hearing him cry. A moment later, police sirens softly   
wafted through the air, punctuating the silence.  
"We need to get home," Mercury said. The group formed a circle and   
performed the Sailor Teleport to return home with Europa physically intact.  
The group rematerialized on top of Lita's apartment building in the middle   
of the night. Everyone reverted and gathered around Michael, who had, after   
losing the extra energy from his transformation, collapsed on the ground,   
unconscious.  
"Let's get him inside," Darien said, picking Michael up by the shoulders.   
Lita took Michael's left arm while Darien took his right, and both wrapped an   
arm around their necks to support him while they descended the stairs. When   
they entered the apartment with Michael on their shoulders, Jennifer was in the   
kitchen.  
"Oh, that was quick," she said. "Did you have any-" she stopped in mid-  
sentence as she entered the room and saw the battered Michael who was being   
placed prone on the couch in the company of the other injured Scouts. "You got   
him! Is he all right?!"  
"He's just exhausted," Amy replied.  
"He's not the only one," Raye said, sitting down beside the couch. Her   
nosebleed had stopped, and she was trying to wipe the drying blood off of her   
upper lip.  
Looking around at the various injuries on the girls, Jennifer commented,   
"I'll go get the first-aid kit."  
"I'll help!" Rini insisted, following Jennifer.  
Darien took a seat at the foot of the couch, his eyelids drooping slightly   
as he got a chance to relax for the first time in four days. "We should give   
the Crosses a call. I'd think they'd be interested to see Michael."  
"I'll take care of that," Mina said, walking to the phone.  
"He feels kind of warm," Lita said with her hand on his forehead. She   
stood up and walked into the kitchen. She returned soon with a wet washrag and   
placed it on Michael's forehead. The cool sensation registered with Michael's   
brain and he opened his eyes. "Michael..." Lita began, not sure what to say.  
"Thanks, guys," Michael said, smiling at Lita, Amy, and Serena.  
  
Chapter 5:  
Epilogue  
  
Michael sat outside of the Cherry Hill Temple, staring at the sky. The   
setting sun shone its warm rays across the blanket where the group was having a   
last minute study session. A slight smile crossed Michael's face as Lita asked   
Amy to explain a math problem to her.  
It had been a month since the battle with Gerolus had freed him from the   
last of his lingering ghosts of his past life. This time, he was sure it was   
final. He had seen Gerolus die, and that was that. His parents had accepted   
the answer that the Sailor Scouts had saved him without question, and hadn't   
even asked why Gerolus had wanted him. The police, however, were a different   
story. He had been grilled pretty thoroughly about every issue of the case.   
He'd ended up telling them that it was related to Yvette's death and to talk to   
the New York police for details on the case. Maybe now, they could let Yvette's   
memory rest peacefully. That would sit just fine with Michael.  
Michael wasn't sure who was more thankful to have him back, really; his   
parents or the other Scouts. They had all visited him in the week or so   
following his rescue to help him out, since he had insisted on not going to the   
hospital. He had appreciated the help from the others, though, since he had   
taken some pretty hard abuse from Gerolus during his stay. Amy had brought his   
homework to him, Serena and Mina had come offering to help his parents, even   
though they had insisted that they didn't need any help. They just let the two   
girls stay because they thought that Michael could use the company. His parents   
just treated it like he had the flu or some other sickness, except that it   
couldn't be transmitted to anyone else.  
He had gone through a short period of depression after he had been at home   
for some time. The girls hadn't understood him at all when he had explained the   
issue to them, that he had needed to be the one to finish it. During the   
depression, he had stopped talking to Serena. It was her fault that he had   
missed his chance. She had stayed his hand, held back his fury. Her actions   
had stopped the healing power of destruction. After a couple of days of   
thinking about it without having Serena around, though, he had realized that she   
had done what she thought was right. He couldn't fault her for that, but he'd   
always fault himself for letting him listen to her.  
The most important thing in his mind, though, wasn't evil-doers. It   
wasn't energy-sucking monsters or magicians or destructive robots. His mind was   
on his friends. They were the top priority to him. They had gone through many   
crises together. They had risked their lives for him as he had risked his life   
for them. They owed each other for the gifts that they had given and received   
over the years. They had put up with him- his ego, his pride, his free-  
wheeling, his attitude- and they had loved him in spite of all that. He loved   
them for it. He was accepted for who he was, not what he could do or what grade   
he could get them. If he could help it, there was no way he was leaving that   
behind. After all, what fun is saving the world alone?  
So, Michael rested his mind for a moment. He stared at the sky to gain   
peace from the tranquil shades of pink above everything that he held dear.   
Enjoying life was what he had been lacking for the past couple of weeks.   
Perhaps it was time for him to get back to that. Otherwise, what was the point   
of living? He smiled for no particular reason besides enjoying the feeling that   
had escaped him of late.  
"Michael, are you okay?" Lita asked from where she was sitting. She had   
finished asking Amy how to work the problem and was watching him stare into the   
empty sky above their heads.  
"I'm fine," he replied. "Just-" He had been about to say that he was   
bored, but that was never true with these girls. He'd enjoy every moment of his   
life as long as he had the five of them to keep him company. There was nothing   
they couldn't do, and that thought comforted him immensely. "I'm just happy."  
Lita smiled at him, the most beautiful thing that he had seen since the   
last time he had seen he smile. "Good. So am I.  
  
The End  
  
Wow! Finally got this thing finished! It's about time. I mean, I've   
been working on it for the past couple of months. I just hope that the extra   
work time paid off in quality. I've just had a lot of distractions near the end   
of school and with other projects, so I haven't been able to work as quickly as   
I would have liked. But I think I've written down everything that I needed to   
in order to finish this puppy off. Now, I've just got two more series to polish   
off, and I can move on to a new project that I'm really excited about. I'm   
finally finishing off with Michael so that I can move on to a new character   
who'll be around for a much shorter time this time. I'll just have to see when   
I get there. Well, thanks for sticking out with me until the end! Later! 


End file.
